Continuous web envelope

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is continuous web process for producing a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes in a double web without folding or cutting the envelope paper prior to fabrication of the envelope structure. Accounting information may be recorded on the envelopes individually or in web form.

United States Patent Kenneth W. Howard 5550 Monticello, Dallas, Tex. 75206 854,434

Sept. 2, 1969 Oct. 12, 1971 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented CONTINUOUS WEB ENVELOPE 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 229/69, 229/85 Int. Cl 865d 27/10 Field of Search 229/69, 68,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,973,131 2/1961 Mead et a1. 229/66 3,095,088 6/1963 Blaike et a1. 206/632 3,325,188 6/1967 l-liersteiner 229/69 X Primary Examiner Donald F. Norton Anarney--Kanz, Glaser & l-larwood ABSTRACT: Disclosed is continuous web process for producing a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes in a double web without folding or cutting the envelope paper prior to fabrication of the envelope structure. Accounting information may be recorded on the envelopes individually or in web form.

PATENTEU UCTIZIEYI I 3612,1390

INVENTOR KENNETH W. HOWARD KANZ, GLASEI? .& [IA/W000 ATTORNEYS 1 CONTINUOUS was ENVELOPE This invention relates to envelopes for machine accounting, and specifically to envelopes which may be mass produced from a continuous web and serially numbered or otherwise designated to contain suitable machine accounting or recognition characters whereby mechanical accounting and record keeping can be performed on the envelope in the continuous web arrangement or each envelope individually.

Wide-spread acceptance of mechanized accounting and record keeping has generated needs for many specialized paper products. Frequently, however, much of the advantage gained by rapid machine handling of accounting data is lost through inefficient hand sorting of collected data, and preparation and manufacturing costs of specialized data media such as preprinted cards and the like. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simplified and inexpensive envelope which may be assembled and produced from a continuous web. A further object is to provide an accounting envelope in continuous web form and upon which accounting data may be entered and recorded during or after production of the envelope. A further object is to provide an envelope of simplified construction containing no folded edges and which may be produced without previously cutting or folding the materials used in fabrication thereof.

A unique advantage of the envelope produced in accordance with the invention is the elimination of cutting and folding of the web from which the envelope is produced, thereby substantially decreasing the cost of production. Furthermore, the envelope of the invention may be produced on continuous webs of paper of proper size and adapted for mechanical processing whereby accounting information may be imprinted directly on each envelope while in web form. Each envelope may be then individually removed from the web and further processed by hand or mechanically.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended claims and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the preferred process and apparatus for producing the envelope of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a single envelope of the invention severed from the continuous production web.

In the preferred embodiment the envelope of the invention is produced from a pair of continuous webs of envelope paper as illustrated in FIG. 1. In the embodiment illustrated the first web 12, which constitutes the top face of the envelope, is supplied from roll 10 or from any other suitable supply. One side of the material preferably contains printed copy on the surface corresponding to the front face of the envelopes to be produced. In the embodiment shown the roll 10 is of a width corresponding to the length of three envelopes with a printing margin 13 adjacent each edge. The margin 13 contains holes 11 which are adapted to mate with suitable paper transport mechanisms for moving the web 12 through conventional printing apparatus, such as computer printout devices and the like. The margin 13 may thus be referred to as either a printing margin or a transport track.

As the web 12 is withdrawn from roll 10, the paper is weakened by a plurality of parallel perforation lines formed therein by perforating tools 14-18. Perforating tools 14 and 18 are positioned to perforate the web 12 at the outer end of each of the outer envelopes to be formed on the web, whereby the printing margin and transport track 13 including holes 11 may be readily removed from the finished envelope by tearing along weakened lines 140 and 18a. The purpose and spacing of the parallel perforations formed by perforating tools 15, 16 and 17 will be described hereinafter.

The backface of the envelope is formed from a second continuous web 20 which may be withdrawn from a suitable supply such as roll 21. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the backface of the envelope has no printed copy thereon, therefore web 20 heed not carry a printing margin.

The width of web 20 preferably corresponds with the distance between the parallel perforations 14a: and 18a formed by perforating tools 14 and 18 indicated by the distance A in FIG. 1.

As back web 20 is withdrawn from roll 21 parallel perforations are fonned in the web 20 by a plurality of perforating tools 22, 23 and 24. Parallel perforations 22a, 23a and 24a formed by perforating tools 22, 23 and 24 are preferably positioned to weaken the web 20 along parallel lines which will coincide with perforations 15a, 16a and 17a in the front web 12.

Remoistenable gum 25 is applied to the top surface of back web 20 by glue pads 26 in positions which will correspond to the open end of the finished envelope. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, gum 25 is applied in. three continuous strips; one adjacent one edge of web 20 and the second and third strips spaced from the first strip by a distance substantially equal to the interior length of the finished envelope and illustrated as distance B in FIG. 1. Gum 25 should be a renioistenable glue, known in the trade as front gum and commonly used for envelope sealing gum and the like. Gum 25 may be applied in continuous strips as shown in FIG. 1 or may be applied to the surface of web 20 in discrete portions, the length of each portion approximately corresponding to the width of the envelope to be produced.

Front gum 25 will provide a sealing tab for the envelope to be produced. Accordingly, front gum 25 may be any suitable convenient width ranging from about one-fourth inch to about one and one-half inches.

Envelope gum for sealing the two webs 20 and 12 together is applied to the top surface of back web 20 so as to form three continuous glue patterns 27. Any suitable glue such as that known in the trade as back gum may be used for the patterns 27. Glue patterns 27 are in the form of strips which are parallel to the length of web 20 and spaced from gum 25 by sufficient distance to prevent overlapping of the patterns. Glue patterns 27 also include transverse segments 28 extending normal to the length of web 20 and adjoining the base of the parallel glue strip 27. The ends of segments 28 are spaced from the front gum 25 by little more than the width of the perforations formed by perforating tools 22, 23 and 24. Webs 20 and 12 are then brought together and drawn between rollers 30 and 31.

As webs 12 and 20 are drawn between rollers 30 and 31 the front web 12 is pressed firmly against the back web 20; the back gum 27 sealing the two faces into a single web in the area defined by back gum patterns 27. It should be noted that the back face web 20 is aligned to be glued to the top face 12 only in the area defined by glue pattern 27. In bringing back web 20 and from web 12 together, the webs are aligned so that the outer edges of back web 20 coincide with the perforations 14a and 18a in the front web 12. Likewise, perforation lines 22a, 23a and 24a coincide with weakened lines 150, 16a and 17a, respectively. The resultant two-ply web will then have three parallel perforations passing through both faces, and two parallel perforations (14a and 18a) passing through the front web only. However, there is no backface adjacent the front face extending beyond perforations 14a and 18a.

Crossweb perforations running transversely to the length of the two-ply web are formed in the envelope web by perforating tool 33. Crossweb perforations are aligned to bisect the transverse sections 28 of the glue pattern 27, thus are spaced apart a distance C equivalent to the width of the finished envelope as shown in FIG. 2. The envelope web may then be folded as desired along perforation lines 33a to form a folded section containing nine complete envelopes each. The completed envelopes, however. are still in a continuous web.

Conventional materials may be used in forming continuous web envelopes as described above. For example, 20-pound bond paper or any other suitable material may be used for the front and back webs. Any suitable remoistenable glue such as that conventionally used in envelope making may be used for the front gum 25; and any suitable back gum may be used for glue pattern 27. It will be readily understood that either or both the front gum pattern and the back gum pattern may be placed on the back surface of the top web 12 in positions corresponding to those shown. Since the final product comprises a pair of opposed faces secured to each other along their respective edges, the placement of gum on either of the surfaces is not critical. Care must be taken, however, to prevent premature attachment of the two faces in the area defined by the front gum 25. Therefore, front gum 25 must be dry before placing front web 12 in contact with back web 20. Front gum may be dried by any conventional method, or sufficient time allowed to elapse between placing the front gum on the web and bringing the front and back webs together to allow the front gum to dry. Alternatively, conventional release paper or the like (not shown) may be placed between the front gum 25 and one of the webs to prevent adherence of the two web faces in the area defined by the front gum.

The continuous web envelopes produced as described above may be utilized in a variety of mechanical accounting systems. For example the stack 34 of envelopes in the continuous web may be mechanically processed to imprint thereon numerical designations, sequential data or other data for manual or machine reading such as MlCR characters and the like. In a typical manner of utilizing such envelope sheets the stack 34 may be processed by computers and a name, address and other account notations entered individually on each envelope. The envelopes may then be sequentially numbered and stacked in appropriate numbers to provide complete dated payment mailing envelopes for time installment payments, charitable donations and the like, each individual envelope containing machine recognizable indicia whereby the envelope can be mechanically processed.

It should be noted that accounting copy and the like may be printed on the face of the envelope web prior to the manufacturing process described, during assembly, or after the envelope stack 34 has been produced. Normally, however, variable copy will be printed on the front web 12 prior to assembly and accounting data entered on each envelope while in the form of a continuous web as illustrated in stack 34.

Individual envelopes are severed from the continuous web by cutting along dashed lines 50 and 51 and tearing along weakened lines 33a. The individual envelope is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The printing margin 13 may be removed from the web by simply tearing the top sheet along perforations 14a and 18a. The web may then be out along lines 50 and 51 to divide the web into strips of serially edge-attached envelopes. Altematively, additional perforations may be provided along dashed lines 50 and 51 to weaken the web and provide means for tearing the web into strips. Each individual envelope may then be removed from the strip by tearing along perforations 33a. it will be observed that the resultant envelope, as indicated in FIG. 2, has a width C corresponding to the width between crossweb perforations 33a. Since crossweb perforations 33a bisect the transverse sections of back gum 28 the envelope is sealed along three edges indicated at 41, 42 and 43 of F IG. 2. Note, however, that the edge indicated at 44 is open since remoistenable front gum 25 does not adhere to top surface 12. Thus the resultant envelope is a pair of opposed faces of envelope material sealed together along three adjacent edges and open along a fourth edge. After removal of envelope 40 from the web, money, payment cards or the like may be inserted between the front and back faces through open end 44, and open end 44 sealed by moistening the front gum 25. Note that the envelope 40 includes no folded flaps or the like; the opposed surfaces of top face 12 and backface 20 being sealed by remoistening front gum 25 and pressing the opposed faces together. The resultant envelope is then sealed along all four edges.

it will also be noted that due to the weakening of perforation 150 across the face of envelope 40 and the corresponding perforation 22:: across the back of the envelope, the envelope may be opened by tearing along perforation 15a. in this manner the last sealed portion (the portion sealed by remoistenable gum 25), is removed and the envelope is again open along one edge and sealed along three adjacent edges. The remainder of the envelope, however is still of unitary structure and presents a front face containing specific accounting data which may be further processed for accounting purposes.

It will be observed that in accordance with the invention the paper need never be folded except to place the continuous web in a stack suitable for handling. The sealing tab is not folded to effect a seal. The only cutting involved in the process is to sever the web into a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes. If desired, an additional perforation line (not shown) may be fonned parallel to the front gum between the front gum and the base of glue pattern 27 (along dashed lines 50 and 51). The web may then be severed along these lines into a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to producing a continuous web the width of three envelopes, it will be readily recognized that the width of the web is determined only by the type of accounting mechanism through which the continuous web is to be processed. Accordingly, the web may be wide enough to produce one or more envelopes.

It is to be understood that although the invention has been described with particular reference to specific embodiments thereof, the form of the invention shown and described in detail is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of same and that various changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An accounting medium comprising:

a. a first web of sheet material having a perforate track adjacent each edge thereof, said perforate track being adapted to accommodate mechanical transport of said accounting medium,

b. a second web of sheet material secured to said first web of sheet material, said second web being positioned between the perforate tracks on said first web, said first and second webs being secured to each other by first adherent means defining three edges of a plurality of serially edgeattached envelopes,

c. second adherent means positioned between said first and second webs and adhering to only one of said first and second webs, said second adherent means defining the fourth edge of a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes,

d. first parallel weakening lines for aiding in removal of said perforate track from said first web,

e. a second parallel weakening line for separating the area defined by said second adherent means from the area defined by said first adherent means, and

f. transverse weakening lines bisecting the portions of said first adherent means defining opposite edges of serially edge-attached envelopes.

2. The accounting medium defined in claim 1 including machine recognizable characters imprinted on each of said edge-attached envelopes.

3. An envelope comprising:

a. a pair of substantially coplanar sheets of paper of substantially identical size and shape, each sheet having four edges, said sheets being superimposed one upon the other and secured to each other along three edges, the fourth edge of one of said sheets having a remoistenable gum affixed thereto, said remoistenable gum being affixed to only one of said sheets and between the two superimposed sheets, and

b. a line of perforations substantially parallel tosaid fourth edge and defining the area covered by said remoistenable gum. 

1. An accounting medium comprising: a. a first web of sheet material having a perforate track adjacent each edge thereof, said perforate track being adapted to accommodate mechanical transport of said accounting medium, b. a second web of sheet material secured to said first web of sheet material, said second web being positioned between the perforate tracks on said first web, said first and second webs being secured to each other by first adherent means defining three edges of a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes, c. second adherent means positioned between said first and second webs and adhering to only one of said first and second webs, said second adherent means defining the fourth edge of a plurality of serially edge-attached envelopes, d. first parallel weakening lines for aiding In removal of said perforate track from said first web, e. a second parallel weakening line for separating the area defined by said second adherent means from the area defined by said first adherent means, and f. transverse weakening lines bisecting the portions of said first adherent means defining opposite edges of serially edgeattached envelopes.
 2. The accounting medium defined in claim 1 including machine recognizable characters imprinted on each of said edge-attached envelopes.
 3. An envelope comprising: a. a pair of substantially coplanar sheets of paper of substantially identical size and shape, each sheet having four edges, said sheets being superimposed one upon the other and secured to each other along three edges, the fourth edge of one of said sheets having a remoistenable gum affixed thereto, said remoistenable gum being affixed to only one of said sheets and between the two superimposed sheets, and b. a line of perforations substantially parallel to said fourth edge and defining the area covered by said remoistenable gum. 